LEWISTON – The groups aligned to defeat the Taxpayer Bill of Rights referendum question have maintained their huge fundraising advantage.

The two political action committees formed to defeat TABOR, which will appear on next week’s ballot as Question 1, raised more than $667,000 between Oct. 1 and Oct. 26, according to financial reports filed Wednesday.

The PAC supporting TABOR reported raising a little more than $144,000, with $100,000 of that coming from a single source, Americans for Limited Government.

Citizens United to Protect Our Public Safety, Schools and Communities, the largest of the anti-TABOR groups, reported raising $478,590 during the period and spending a little more than $469,000, mostly on television advertising.

Citizens United received $250,000 from the National Education Association and $190,000 from the AARP, both of which oppose TABOR in Maine and other states where similar bills have been proposed.

Citizens Who Support Maine’s Public Schools, the PAC of the Maine Education Association, raised $188,454 and spent $99,245. The PAC, which was formed by the Maine Education Association, received $140,000 from the Service Employees International Union, $25,000 from the American Federation of Teachers and $20,000 from the National Education Association.

TaxpayerBillofRights.com, the pro-TABOR PAC, spent more than $194,000 during the October reporting period.

TABOR would place limits on local, county and state governments ability to raise and spend money. To override the limits would require a two-stage process that includes a two-thirds vote of any governing body then a passage of the extra spending or revenue increase by referendum.

The fundraising advantage for the anti-TABOR forces has carried over from the last reporting period, which ran from July 19 to Sept. 30. During that period, Citizens United raised more than $625,000 versus $148,000 for TaxpayerBillofRights.com

TABOR’s foes have outspent its supporters by more than 3-1 since the middle of July. Citizens United has spent almost $1.1 million compared to just $300,000, according to financial reports filed with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.